Obturator.



G. GERDOM.

OBTURATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 27, 1908 1,962,646. I Patented May 27, 1913. v

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GREGORY GERDOM, 0F WATERVLIET, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ORDINANCE IMPROVE- MENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW' YORK.

OBTUEATOR.

Application filed March 27, 1808.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Gmzoonr Gnnnoar, a citizen of the United States, residing at and whose post-office address is Vatervliet, Albany county, State of New York, have invented a new and useful Obturator, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in obt-urators for breech loading ordnance of the well known French or De Bang type, its object being to provide a fitting which is entirely metallic, and thereby dispense with the plastic pad ordinarily interposed between the mushroom head and breech block, to check the escape of gas through. the breech, and consists in the features of construction hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a detail, longitudinal section of a gun breech showing the breech block in closed position, the mushroom head and my improvement fitted thereto; Fig. 2 is a detail of one of the split rings; Fig. 3 is a detail of the under side of the disk resting upon the forward end of the breech block, part of the disk being broken out to show the superposed rings; Fig. 4 is a detail front end view of the rings detached from the other parts, and Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are similar sectional details showing three different constructions of rings and included cups.

As shown in the drawings A represents I the gun, B the breech block fitted thereto, C

the mushroom head having the spindle 2, 3 the annular plate or disk seated upon the end of the breech block and to which are secured by screws 4 the several split or segmental rings 5, 6 and 7. Fitted to the interior of the rings is a sheet metal copper or steel cup 8 secured as by screws 9 to the disk 8, its edge being bent over the rings 5, 6 and 7 into contact with the wall of the gun. The mushroom head C has an axial part or hub 10 smaller than the head, but of larger diameter than its spindle, which enlarged part fits closely against the annular base 11 of the cup. This construction leaves an open space 12 between the cup and the mushroom head, free communication between which and the barrel of the gun is established by means of a series of vent holes 13 in the mushroom head.

In the construction shown in Fig. 5 the cup bears against the inner surface of the Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 27,1913,

Serial No. 423,524.

rings, and the top or end of the outer ring and into contact with the wall of the gun.

In Fig. 6 is a modified construction in which there is interposed between the end of the forward ring and the outturned edge of the cup 14:, a triangular shaped ring 15 of tin, which because of its character tends to make a closer and tighter fitting to the wall of the gun. In the construction shown in Fig. 7 the copper or steel cup 16 is backed by a similar cup of tin 17 forming an interlining of tin between the copper cup and the rings. In this construction the portion 10 of the mushroom head is tapered at 18 to fit closely to the outturned edges 19 and 20 of the copper and tin cups.

In order to secure proper functioning of the split rings 5, 6 and 7, they are made of steel and preferably about 2/100 of an inch larger than the diameter of the seat, so as to normally of their own resiliency take a close bearing on the seat, and to scrape off any residue which may be adhering from previous discharges. The rings are free to expand and contract sliding upon each other because connected to the disk 3 at one end only by the screws 4, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the openings 21 in the disk being made slightly larger than the screw head.

The vents 13 through the mushroom permit free access of the gases of explosion from the bore of the gun into the annular space 12 inside of the cup, so that the pressure of said gases will cooperate with the resiliency of the rings and press them firmly against the Walls of the chamber.

I claim,

1. In an obturator, a gas checking element comprising a resilient spiral fitted to the gun chamber, and an expanding element'fitted within said spiral and subject to the direct pressure of the gases of explosion.

2. In an o-bturator, a resilient spiral element fitted to the gun chamber, an expanding element comprising a conical cup fitted to the interior of said spiral and open to the direct act-ion of the gases of explosion.

3. In combination with the breech-block of a breech loading gun, a sheet metal cup seated upon said block and spiral obturating rings surrounding said cup, and adapted to bear against the walls of the gun chamber, the edge of said cup being outturned to cover said rings and make contact with the Walls of the gun chamber.

4. In a breech loading gun, in combination with the breech block and mushroom head, an interposed spiral spring ring adapted to bear against the walls of the gun, and a cup mounted upon the end of the block and fitted closely to the interior of said ring with its edge overlapping said ring.

5. An obturator for breech loading guns comprising resilient spiral rings fitted to the gun chamber, and a cup seated upon the breech block fitted to said rings and subject to the pressure of the gases of explosion, whereby it is expanded to force said resilient rings against the gun chamber walls.

6. An obturator for breech loading guns having a gas checking element consisting of a spiral ring bearing against the walls of the gun, in combination with a cup fitted to the interior of and overlapping said ring, and a mushroom head having openings therethrough adapted to permit passage of gases from the gun bore into the space Within said cup.

7. In an obt-urato-r for breech loading guns, a spiral spring ring serving as a gas checking element, a cup fitted within and overlapping said ring and a ring of soft metal interposed between the lip of said cup and said ring and having a bearing upon the walls of the gun.

8. In an obturator for breech loading guns, a spiral spring ring gas check, a metal cup seated upon the breech block Within and overlapping said ring, and adapted to be expanded by the gases of explosion to force said ring against the inolosing Walls of the gun.

9. In an obturator for breech loading guns, a gas checking spiral ring carried by the breech block, a metallic cup mounted upon the block within and overlapping said ring and an annular part of soft metal interposed between the cup and ring and having a bearing on the Walls of the gun in front of the ring.

10 An obturator comprising a radiallyresilient element fitted to the gun chamber and a radially-expansible element fitted within said resilient element and directly subject to the gases of explosion and adapted to transmit to the resilient element the pressure of said gases.

11. In an obturator, a helically laminated radially resilient element fitted to the gun chamber and an element fitted within the resilient element subject to the direct contact of the gases of explosion and adapted to be expanded thereby and to transmit the pressure radially to the resilient element.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of March, 1908.

GREGORY GERDOM.

IVitnesses:

G. GERnoM, Jr.,

IVILLIAM BLA SIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

